grease guns never work

[Mustang67ford]

Anybody have any grease gun advise to keeping them working? I have 3 of them lying around, one of which in phneumatic and none work. I'll pull the plunger lever back and let it go several times with the cap loose, tighten the cap and it will work for 1 or 2 pumps. I'll open the top cap up and see a big void iun the center. It is very frustraiting. andy advice?

 

[OccupantRJ]

Read this thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78357

 

[jmm]

Purge the air out properly. Works every time, and it's necessary when changing tubes OR after the gun sits for an extended period.

Check youtube, it's easier demonstrated than typed out.

 

[n8n]

Buy a Lincoln 1134 and thank me later. The grease guns sold at VatoZone etc. are doomed to frustrate you until the end of time, plus having a good pistol grip means you don't need three hands to work it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002NYDZ8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

read the reviews though, the coupler is "unique" and works OK once you know how to deal with it, but will frustrate you as the instructions don't make clear that you need to loosen it to use.

 

[RECox286]

I have 2 large cartridge guns, and 2 small cartridge guns,

some of which are over 40 years old...and still work like new.

I laugh when I hear "my grease gun wore out, so I got

an xyz one." How is it possible that a piston/cylinder

device that is filled with GREASE and not used all that often

is suscesptible to wearing out. Learn how to properly

fill, bleed and use the darn thing. (S'cuse my ignorance.)

Uncle Bob

 

[Mustang67ford]

I have 2 large cartridge guns, and 2 small cartridge guns,

some of which are over 40 years old...and still work like new.

I laugh when I hear "my grease gun wore out, so I got

an xyz one." How is it possible that a piston/cylinder

device that is filled with GREASE and not used all that often

is suscesptible to wearing out. Learn how to properly

fill, bleed and use the darn thing. (S'cuse my ignorance.)

Uncle Bob

It's not broke or work out, I just don't know how to properlyfill and bleed and am looking for pointers.

 

[bob_the_builder]

I agree, buy the Lincoln 1134 and don't look back. I had what I thought was a good grease one and then when I got the Lincoln the build quality was so much better.

Bob

 

[enrare]

Does this grease gun have the issue of leaking that oily residue out the bottom on the gun where the plunger goes in? Maybe this is just normal nature of grease guns but I have to make sure there's a rag under my grease gun or else I end up with that oily mess all over the bottom of my tool cart.

Buy a Lincoln 1134 and thank me later. The grease guns sold at VatoZone etc. are doomed to frustrate you until the end of time, plus having a good pistol grip means you don't need three hands to work it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002NYDZ8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

read the reviews though, the coupler is "unique" and works OK once you know how to deal with it, but will frustrate you as the instructions don't make clear that you need to loosen it to use.

 

[n8n]

Does this grease gun (lincoln) have the issue of leaking that oily residue out the bottom on the gun where the plunger goes in? Maybe this is just normal nature of grease guns but I have to make sure there's a rag under my grease gun or else I end up with that oily mess all over the bottom of my tool cart.

yup, mine does that too, probably more so because I rarely use it, I store it in a plastic tote with my bottles of gear oil etc. and just deal with the fact that whenever I need something out of there I need to have shop rags on hand.

 

[NoSloCoupes]

I've had a few guns and they've never worked worth a damn....never prime and frustrates the hell out of me. Straight in the trash. Needing a new gun a couple weeks ago, was looking for the lincoln 1134 as the reviews on here were great. I went to the local napa, they didn't carry the 1134, was recommended this gun...http://www.legacymfg.com/products/dynamic/details.asp?ModelNumberID=L1175L&displayLink=false

I've used it a number of times now and has been flawless! So easy to load and pumps away every pull.

 

[Altmech]

 

[Jswain]

When you throw a new tube in it, take a good dab of grease from what would be the bottom of the new grease tube, and fill the underside if the cap of the grease gun with it completely. Then insert the tube as normal into the body of the grease gun and when you pull the metal tab and screw the body into the cap the excess will squeeze out leaving no air pocket to begin with and 2-3 squirts and you will be ready to dispose of the entire tube problem free.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I had an old (25+ yo) Craftsman pistol grip that would get an air lock every time is used it. I bought a Plews.

Being the tightwad that I am, I am always pissed about the amount of grease left in the cartridge. Now I save the old cartridges, scrape the leftover grease out and into another cartridge. Yeah, its a mess, but it makes me feel beter about not wasting it !

 

[SteveCh]

I will change the title phrase only so much as to declare, grease guns seldom work. I recently bought a Lincoln, after advice here on the forum and my life-long frustration with too many guns to count, and it works some. Not great, but at least I only waste half my time in maintenance on, say, the tractor, instead of 90% of my time with other guns. It ain't nuclear physics or brain surgery, there should be a decent, actually working grease gun out there. One friend of mine buys the cheapest he can find, uses them for one cartridge of grease, for which they all seem to work, then tosses them for another new one. Only way he can get them to work when he needs them, or so he tells me. I can understand.....

 

[Hpozzuoli]

I didn't realize folks had such trouble with these things. Last week my SO driver gave me this Lincoln. It's been fine so far. It replaces the older Lincoln that I bent the fixed head on. This might be a 1142, 1147, or 1151. I threw the box away and the instructions are for these 3 models.

I never tried the electric guns because I don't do that much volume where it would benefit me. I also like the feel with the pump action.

 

[Beaumont67]

On the farm, 40 years ago to remove grease gun air...my Dad use to slap the side of the grease gun hard against his tractor tire rubber.
- worked for a while

 

[jkwilson]

This thread has me scratching my head. Am I some kind of grease gun savant? I never have trouble with even the cheap ones.

I'm also puzzled with the dislike for the lever arm type. Those things generate much more pressure than the grip type. Sometimes there is no substitute for pressure.

 

[American]

Buy a Lincoln 1134 and thank me later.

Ok... I ordered it. Pretty much everything I own needs grease right now and my old gun is a leaky cheapo so I'll give it a good workout and let you know what I think.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[PCO6]

I had an old (25+ yo) Craftsman pistol grip that would get an air lock every time is used it. I bought a Plews.

Being the tightwad that I am, I am always pissed about the amount of grease left in the cartridge. Now I save the old cartridges, scrape the leftover grease out and into another cartridge. Yeah, its a mess, but it makes me feel beter about not wasting it !

I thought I was the only one that did that. I scrape it out and put it in a tub ... for environmental reasons of course.

 

[Wakefield]

I think it has to do with getting the new cartridge in there right and bleeding some air out
mine has a sort of thumbscrew that when loosened lets out air or grease---I suppose if it came out all of the way while the gun is ready to use all of the grease would come out and make a big mess!

 

[lakota]

I had problems with my grease gun that I only use yearly for my snow blower. I had trouble getting grease out and the gun would pop off the zerk fitting. Then I figured I use it so infrequently it must be the grease. Checked it and it was rock hard. Got a new grease cartridge and I'm good to go.

 

[slip knot]

You gotta bleed the air out for them to work properly. As for leaking out the bottom, well around here it gets hot and grease melts when it hot, so yeah it'll melt and leak some.

 

[Allenw]

Use a grease gun most every day on tractors and farm equipment. I think those that can't use them need more practice.

 

[wildbill23c]

I had the problem of not being able to get 1 grease gun to work, and it happened with that particular one every time I tried to use it. So in the trash can it went. The other grease gun I have works great. The one that I threw away was a lubrimatic brand if I remember right, anyhow it was a cheap one that I needed really quick and that's what was on the shelf at the store I went to, it worked great for that 1 tube of grease and after that it never worked again no matter what I tried to do, I just think the whole mechanism in it was bad.

I've never used or owned a pneumatic or electric grease gun and don't care to, I've always been afraid that using one of those types it would blow seals out of equipment.

 

[Skin]

Use a grease gun most every day on tractors and farm equipment. I think those that can't use them need more practice.

You probably haven't ever used a bad one. The ones that look like they're tinfoil are junk and constantly have to be bled.

 

[1953mercury]

It's very important to keep them well lubricated. Mike

 

[Kracin]

Anybody have any grease gun advise to keeping them working? I have 3 of them lying around, one of which in phneumatic and none work. I'll pull the plunger lever back and let it go several times with the cap loose, tighten the cap and it will work for 1 or 2 pumps. I'll open the top cap up and see a big void iun the center. It is very frustraiting. andy advice?

grease guns work great when you reload them right. i use one frequently at work, just a simple one with synthetic grease.

the key is to keep voids from being put in from the start. clear your air out right away after letting the plunger in the back go. if you dont, expect to pump about 100 times before the air stops being compressed and gets released.

 

[justme-]

I've also never had issues with grease guns - I have 2 lesser brand lever ones, a couple mini pistol style, and my ol man's lincoln pistol grip.
We have 2 decent levers at work and change a tube in one or the other about every other week in my shop, and sometimes the other shop (depending on season) goes through a couple of tubes a week. Keeping air to a minimum is definitely important. I'll also carefully take the remaining grease from the used tube out with my finger and add it to fill the void in the new one under the metal tab cap before putting the head on.

 

[Allenw]

You probably haven't ever used a bad one. The ones that look like they're tinfoil are junk and constantly have to be bled.

I've threw my share away, I've even messed up a couple of Lincolns trying to grease stubborn zerks.

 

[Wamsutta]

I have a Lincoln 1133 with a flex hose. It never gives me any trouble as long as I bleed it after installing a new cartridge.

 

[garfunkle24]

This thread has me scratching my head. Am I some kind of grease gun savant? I never have trouble with even the cheap ones.

This.

I do, however, prefer the type with the pistol grip for most jobs. As soon as the tip starts to wear and dealing with both metric and SAE zirks (whose dims seem to differ slightly) I often need one hand free to hold the tip on the fitting.

 

[justin1795]

when I worked at a shop the boss purchased these air operated ones. within 4 months none of them worked. at the factory I work in they buy battery powered ones. the oiler told me they cost over 1,200 each

I have a matco at home. not sure who really makes it but never had a problem

 

[MattPersman]

I have had one gun (a Mac) over the years that was pretty fussy but the others have been ok (random branded) stuff. Right now the one I use is an OEM brand been using that one for a few years at least.

 

[J.A.Varela]

LOL. I've had the same gun in the box on my backhoe for 9 years. Made by Timken.